[House Report 119-277]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
119th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session } { 119-277
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DALLES WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT ACT
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September 15, 2025.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on
the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
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Mr. Westerman, from the Committee on Natural Resources,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 655]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 655) to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to
convey certain Federal land to the City of The Dalles, Oregon,
having considered the same, reports favorably thereon with an
amendment and recommends that the bill as amended do pass.
The amendment is as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Dalles Watershed Development Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) City.--The term ``City'' means the City of The Dalles,
Oregon.
(2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of
the Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest
Service.
SEC. 3. THE DALLES CONVEYANCE.
(a) In General.--If, not later than 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the City submits a written request to the
Secretary for conveyance of the land described in subsection (b)(1),
the Secretary shall, as soon as practicable thereafter, convey to the
City, all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to
such land.
(b) Description of Land.--
(1) In general.--The land described in this paragraph is the
parcel of real property generally depicted as ``parcel A'' on
the map, consisting of approximately 150 acres of National
Forest System land located in the Mount Hood National Forest in
Oregon.
(2) Map.--
(A) Definition.--In this section, the term ``map''
means the map entitled ``The Dalles Conveyance Parcel
A'' and dated November 4, 2024.
(B) Minor errors.--The Secretary may correct minor
errors in the map.
(C) Availability of map.--A copy of the map shall be
on file and available for public inspection in the
appropriate offices of Forest Service.
(3) Survey.--The exact acreage and legal description of the
National Forest System land to be conveyed under subsection (a)
shall be determined by a survey satisfactory to the Secretary.
(c) Terms and Conditions.--The conveyance under subsection (a) shall
be--
(1) subject to valid existing rights;
(2) made without consideration;
(3) made by quitclaim deed; and
(4) subject to such additional terms and conditions as the
Secretary determines to be appropriate to protect the interests
of the United States.
(d) Administrative Costs.--As a condition of the conveyance under
subsection (a), the City shall pay all costs associated with the
conveyance, including the cost of a survey under subsection (b)(3).
(e) Use of Conveyed Land.--
(1) In general.--The land conveyed to the City under
subsection (a) shall be used by the City for public purposes,
including for municipal water supply and use and related
infrastructure needs or expansions.
(2) Reversion.--If the land conveyed under subsection (a) is
used in a manner that is inconsistent with the requirement of
paragraph (1), all right, title, and interest in and to the
land shall revert to the United States.
PURPOSE OF THE LEGISLATION
The purpose of H.R. 655 is to direct the Secretary of
Agriculture to convey certain Federal land to the City of The
Dalles, Oregon.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
Settled on the banks of the Columbia River, The Dalles is
the largest city in northcentral Oregon's Wasco County.\1\ The
city's residents rely on water stored in the nearby Crow Creek
Reservoir, which is located in the Mount Hood National Forest
and sourced by South Fork Mill Creek.\2\ This single reservoir
provides 80 percent of the city's annual water supply for
domestic and commercial use.\3\ While the city owns much of the
land occupied by the current reservoir, its dam, and the
surrounding watershed, some sections extend onto adjacent U.S.
Forest Service (USFS)-managed land.\4\ The Dalles must apply
for and receive a special use permit to access and maintain
those portions of the municipal watershed that fall under
USFS's jurisdiction.\5\ However, USFS's special use permit
imposes considerable administrative burdens and limits future
operations, repairs, and expansions of the reservoir and its
associated dam.
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\1\Susan Buce, ``The Dalles,'' The Oregon Encyclopedia, April 5,
2024, https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/the_dalles/.
\2\Wasco County Watersheds, ``The Dalles Watershed,'' accessed
March 24, 2025, https://www.wascowatersheds.org/the-dalles.
\3\Congressman Bentz Introduces Legislation to Improve the City of
The Dalles, January 30, 2025, https://bentz.house.gov/media/press-
releases/congressman-bentz-introduces-legislation-
improve-city-dalles-water-security.
\4\Per the map entitled, ``The Dalles Conveyance Parcel A'' and
dated November 4, 2024. This map is on file with the Committee.
\5\Id.
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With its population expected to increase over the coming
decades, The Dalles should expect a concomitant rise in its
long-term water-resource needs.\6\ This means that the city
must secure improved access to its watershed. Accordingly, city
officials have discussed plans to increase the Crow Creek
Reservoir's current capacity from 900 to 3,000 acre-feet.\7\
H.R. 655, introduced by Congressman Cliff Bentz (R-OR),
provides a long-term solution to this problem by transferring
approximately 150 acres of National Forest System lands that
encompass the reservoir and its adjacent lands to city
ownership. The conveyance of this parcel from the USFS to local
hands would cut red tape by removing the recurring cost and
administrative burden of abiding by the current special use
permit. In fact, the City Manager of The Dalles estimated that
this bill would save the city at least $150,000 in costs.\8\
Together, the provisions in this legislation would improve the
efficiency of the Crow Creek Dam's current operation, support
the growing city's water-management efforts, and reduce the
federal estate.
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\6\Cole Goodwin, ``Population Growth in The Dalles is Slowing But
More Housing is Still Needed,'' CCC News, December 14, 2023, https://
columbiacommunityconnection.com/the-dalles/
population-growth-in-the-dalles-is-slowing-but-more-housing-is-still-
needed.
\7\Tom Peterson, ``TD watershed needs an Act of Congress in move
against climate change,'' CCC News, January 25, 2025, https://
columbiacommunityconnection.com/the-dalles/td-
watershed-needs-an-act-of-congress-in-move-against-climate-change.
\8\Id.
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COMMITTEE ACTION
H.R. 655 was introduced on January 23, 2025, by
Representative Cliff Bentz (R-OR). The bill was referred to the
Committee on Natural Resources, and within the Committee to the
Subcommittee on Federal Lands. On April 29, 2025, the
Subcommittee on Federal Lands held a hearing on the bill. On
June 25, 2025, the Committee on Natural Resources met to
consider the bill. The Subcommittee on Federal Lands was
discharged from further consideration of H.R. 655 by unanimous
consent. Rep. Cliff Bentz (R-OR) offered an Amendment in the
Nature of a Substitute designated Bentz_023. The Amendment in
the Nature of a Substitute was agreed to by unanimous consent.
The bill, as amended, was ordered favorably reported to the
House of Representatives by unanimous consent.
HEARINGS
For the purposes of clause 3(c)(6) of House rule XIII, the
following hearing was used to develop or consider this measure:
hearing by the Subcommittee on Federal Lands held on April 29,
2025.
SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS
Section 1. Short title
Section 1 names the bill the ``The Dalles Watershed
Development Act.''
Section 2. Definitions
Section 2 defines key terms, including ``City'' and
``Secretary.''
Section 3. The Dalles conveyance
Section 3 directs the Secretary of Agriculture to convey a
150-acre parcel of National Forest System land in the Mount
Hood National Forest to the City of The Dalles, Oregon, should
the city submit a written request for conveyance within one
year of enactment of the law. This section specifies that the
conveyance will be made subject to valid existing rights and
without consideration. Section 3 further stipulates the land
must be used for public purposes, including municipal water
needs and related infrastructure needs, or the land will revert
to federal ownership. Finally, Section 3 stipulates terms and
conditions of the conveyance, including the map and legal
description of the land, surveys, and administrative costs.
COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the
Committee on Natural Resources' oversight findings and
recommendations are reflected in the body of this report.
COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII AND
CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET ACT
1. Cost of Legislation and the Congressional Budget Act.
With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(2) and (3) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and
sections 308(a) and 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974, the Committee has received the following estimate for the
bill from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office:
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
H.R. 655 would direct the Forest Service to convey 150
acres of federal land in the Mount Hood National Forest to the
city of Dalles, Oregon, without consideration and subject to
valid existing rights, if the city requests the land. Under the
bill, the city would be required to pay all costs associated
with a conveyance, and the land would need to be used for
public purposes.
According to the Forest Service, the land does not generate
any receipts for the federal government and any costs
associated with conveying the land under the bill would be paid
by the city. Thus, CBO estimates that enacting the bill would
have no effect on the federal budget.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Emma Uebelhor.
The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy
Director of Budget Analysis.
Phillip L. Swagel,
Director, Congressional Budget Office.
2. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by
clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goal or
objective of this bill is to direct the Secretary of
Agriculture to convey certain Federal land to the City of The
Dalles, Oregon.
EARMARK STATEMENT
This bill does not contain any Congressional earmarks,
limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined
under clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI of the Rules of
the House of Representatives.
UNFUNDED MANDATES REFORM ACT STATEMENT
According to the Congressional Budget Office, H.R. 655
contains no unfunded mandates as defined by the Unfunded
Mandates Reform Act.
EXISTING PROGRAMS
Directed Rule Making. This bill does not contain any
directed rule makings.
Duplication of Existing Programs. This bill does not
establish or reauthorize a program of the federal government
known to be duplicative of another program. Such program was
not included in any report from the Government Accountability
Office to Congress pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139
or identified in the most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance published pursuant to the Federal Program
Information Act (Public Law 95-220, as amended by Public Law
98-169) as relating to other programs.
APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public
services or accommodations within the meaning of section
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.
PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL OR TRIBAL LAW
Any preemptive effect of this bill over state, local, or
tribal law is intended to be consistent with the bill's
purposes and text and the Supremacy Clause of Article VI of the
U.S. Constitution.
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW
As ordered reported by the Committee on Natural Resources,
H.R. 655 would make no changes in existing law.
[all]